Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders, no stranger to controversy, has sparked backlash with a new move to fine players for infractions, such as missing or being late for practice.
Many are now asking whether the fines justify college athletes' status as university employees.
Independent quarterback coach Quincy Avery spoke out against the fines online.
"You cannot fine an employee without a union. I just don't understand how folks don't think the country we live in has rules," Avery posted.
Sportico legal expert Michael McCann argued that a collective bargaining agreement for college football player could be in the offing.
"A schedule of workplace penalties? It's almost like power conference football players are employees! If the penalties were in a CBA, it would be no problem. But to have a CBA you need college athlete employment + unionization. Expect Deion's plan to appear in future court briefs," McCann posted.
According to SI.com, Sanders is using the fines to hold his team accountable, revealing that he will charge $500 if a player is late to practice and $2,500 if a player misses practice entirely. Other penalties involve film meetings, strength and conditioning workouts, and even social media misconduct.
